Pre-baby, I was a group fitness fanatic. So much so that I became a group fitness instructor, in part to help offset the amount of money I would then be spending on said group fitness classes. Cost aside, I never realized how much of my time went into these classes. While a class might last 45 minutes, the whole endeavor was at upwards of 90 minutes. Before I had a baby, this was fine. But things changed when I was pregnant and in my third trimester. I still loved the energy in a group class, but I was modifying so much that it felt like a waste of my time and money.
Since baby arrived, at-home workouts have become my jam. I love at-home workouts because they are efficient and can be done at a moment’s notice when baby goes down for their nap. And while they still cost money, it’s a fraction of the cost of their in-studio counterparts.
There are plenty of free workouts available online, but when you put a bit of money behind your cause, I’ve found that you end up getting a lot more out of it. These programs keep you accountable, provide structure, and can be customized to match your needs. I’ve tried a range of at-home workouts and asked around to find the best of the best for women who are pregnant, newly postpartum, and working to regain strength, and beyond. Here are the best at-home workouts requiring minimal equipment that are worth your money and your time.
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The Best At-Home Workout Programs
1. Pvolve
You may have seen the one and only Jennifer Aniston doing Pvolve workouts. Pvolve involves low-impact and safe at-home workouts based on functional movement. While the workout claims to give you more defined thighs, a higher butt, and a stronger core, perhaps the most appealing claim is that the workout will give you a healthy and strong body, with increased balance and mobility, and improved quality of life. Filter workout options by length, body focus, and more. The app will curate a plan based on your goals, and you’ll receive suggestions for weekly workouts. Free trial available.
- Equipment: Possible with no equipment, but three bundle options are available
- Cost: $24.99 per month or $224.91 annually
2. Swan by Carolina
Mom of two, IIN Certified Nutritional Health Coach, and Yoga and Pilates Certified Instructor, Carolina Lopez-Tejero has been helping women build a healthy lifestyle with her fitness expertise. Swan by Carolina is a blend of yoga, Pilates, and mindful movements with the goal of making women stronger. With the app, full-body, on-demand workouts are available with new classes added weekly for users of all fitness levels. And if you’re pregnant, her classes offer modifications, too. 14-day free trial available.
- Equipment: 3 lb weights or less, 1.5 and 3 lb ankle weights, and mat
- Cost: Memberships range from $26 per month to $460 per year
3. Tonal
Get the full gym experience right at home with Tonal’s immersive, wall-mounted display. Users use the built-in resistance weights with expert instruction, with real-time and post-workout feedback. This workout system provides a wide variety of classes—from strength training to golf to family fitness. New workouts are added weekly, so you’ll never get bored.
- Equipment: Tonal 2 system
- Cost: $59.95 per month with the Tonal system sold separately
4. Obé Fitness
Obé Fitness offers on-demand classes that you can stream right at home. With a variety of programs, you’ll surely find a workout that fits your needs. Classes range anywhere between 3-minute meditations to 10-minute express classes to 35-minute workouts to get a sweat on. Choose from dance cardio, HIIT, circuit, sculpt, Pilates, strength, yoga, and more. Track metrics like body composition, metabolic health, and cycle tracking, too. They even have a special offering of a prenatal training program. Those who have tried Obé say you’ll be surprised by just how challenging and effective even a 10-minute workout can be. A 7-day free trial is available.
- Equipment: Equipment-free (but can use resistance bands, ankle weights, sliders, and a barre ball)
- Program Cost: $24.99 per month or $169.99 annually
5. Nourish Move Love
From beginners to advanced athletes, Nourish Move Love meets women where they’re at in their fitness journey. With over a decade of experience, certified personal trainer Lindsey Bomgren developed workout programs that help women stay consistent in their fitness to yield the best results. Whether you’re limited on time or need a workout tailored to the equipment you have available at home, you can find the right workout program for you. Most popular workouts include a 25-minute Pilates barre class, strength training, full-body HIIT classes, and more. And besides providing modifications, Nourish Move Love also has classes and plans for women who are pregnant or postpartum. Follow a workout program by jumping on the email list to receive weekly workout plans or work through a signature program outlined on the website. Don’t forget to browse the lifestyle section and get recipe ideas, too!
- Equipment: Classes may include the use of weights like dumbbells or kettlebells, resistance bands, and a mat, but clients can adjust depending on what is already available at home. Each class specifies what equipment is needed.
- Cost: All of Nourish Move Love’s programs and classes are free, with an option to subscribe to free weekly workout plans that get sent straight to your inbox.
6. Yoga With Adriene
With nearly 13 million YouTube subscribers, Yoga with Adriene offers tons of high-quality, free content. The practice welcomes all levels, bodies, and genders. With such an extensive library, you can search for a class that suits your mood, from beginner to advanced. While there is plenty of free content, you can also sign up for Find What Feels Good (FWFG), featuring exclusive content, an ad-free library, and premium courses.
- Equipment: Yoga mat
- Cost: Free for standard content, FWFG is $14.99 per month or $149.99 annually
7. Peloton
If you want to splurge a little with equipment, Peloton is something to look into. Equipment options with Peloton include their bike, treadmill, and rowing machine. Sign up for the monthly membership, or you can forgo the hardware and sign up for a Peloton Digital membership. With the purchase of a bike or treadmill, you’re bringing a cardio experience into your home. With the app, you have access to thousands of live and recorded workouts, including cycling, running, Pilates, yoga, meditation, strength work, and more.
You can connect with other community members, participate in challenges, and stay accountable thanks to your recorded stats. Anna Wolfson, doctor and mother of 2, is a fan: “I like being able to get an intense workout completed in 30 minutes total. No commute time, locker room, checking in, waiting for class to start—all of that felt like precious time that was wasted. It’s the right amount of time that my kids are able to occupy themselves or nap, so I don’t need childcare. And my husband uses it too, so the cost feels worth it!” 30-day free trial available.
- Equipment: Can be as much as the bike and/or treadmill, cycling shoes, weights, or as simple as a yoga mat—equipment available to rent or for purchase
- Cost: $9.99 to $28.99 per month (without equipment), $49.99 to $124.99 per month when using Peloton equipment
8. Sweat
Perhaps you’ve seen the transformations on Instagram and are intrigued by this seemingly simple and quick (28 minutes per workout!!) yet amazingly effective program. Formerly known as Sweat With Kayla, Sweat has grown into so much more. Kayla Itsines has nearly 16 million followers on Instagram, so to say she has devoted fans would be an understatement. Choose from 12 programs—with pregnancy and postpartum options—to move and work up a sweat wherever you are. 6-month free trial available.
- Equipment: A beginner program recommends a resistance band, yoga mat, dumbbells, chair, and foam roller. A more advanced program may require a bosu, medicine ball, barbell, etc.
- Cost: $24.99 per month or $134.99 annually
9. Get Mom Strong
Push yourself safely and effectively with 15 to 60-minute total body workouts that are a mix of strength, metabolic conditioning, cardio, and core work. Workouts require minimal equipment, and the app offers a variety of benefits, like health tips and recipes, and access to a video library with over 900 workouts. Erica Friedman, personal trainer and mom, is a fan: “These workouts help build strength from the inside out and slowly progress you. I’ve learned a ton. She has a loyal following, and my physical therapist even recommended her.” 7-day free trial available.
- Equipment: There is a decent amount of equipment required, the full list can be found here, depending on the program
- Cost: $28.99 per month, $69.99 per quarter, or $199.99 per year, with a core-only program for $9.99 per month available
10. Barre3
If barre is more your speed, Barre3 might be for you. Gain access to hundreds of online workouts and choose from different lengths and focuses. One customer reviewed, “I like that I can be flexible about when to get my workout in, especially with the kiddos. I also like the Barre3 approach and the workouts themselves—the intensity and pace are right for me, and I can get a good workout done in 30 minutes.”
- Equipment: Equipment-free, or use core sliders, resistance band, 2 lb weights, and mat
- Cost: $33 for a 3-month subscription, $149 annually, or $199 for three years
11. Melissa Wood Health
This workout is based on precise, low-impact movements. Membership includes over a thousand downloadable workouts, including classes tailored to each trimester, a program based around when you’re on your menstrual cycle, and more. One subscriber said these were the perfect workouts to do after having a baby. While she formerly gravitated towards HIIT, these low-impact, high-repetition workouts were the refreshing break that her body needed postpartum. The workouts are all about building a better and stronger relationship with yourself, and who couldn’t use that? 7-day free trial available.
- Equipment: None, or you can use ankle weights, gym blocks, a Pilates circle, resistance bands, and a Pilates ball; equipment available for purchase
- Cost: $14.95 per month or $134.99 anually
12. Expecting & Empowered
Sisters Amy and Krystle, owners of Expecting & Empowered, created these guides to help women through pregnancy and postpartum. Choose guides by trimester, a postpartum guide, or a guide for postpartum women further out. With six kids between them and professional fitness and physical therapy backgrounds, they know what women need through the various stages of motherhood. Workouts include core rehab, pelvic floor work, and strength training, all done in a safe and effective way. 7-day free trial available.
- Equipment: Resistance bands, exercise sliders, yoga mat
- Cost: $19.99 per month or $149.99 per year
13. The Sculpt Society by Megan Roup
For non-dancers that want to dance, check out The Sculpt Society. The workouts were created to get fit while having fun. Dance cardio and sculpting routines for all levels will help to lengthen and strengthen your entire body. Workouts are under an hour and use bodyweight and light resistance. Thanks to the simplified dance cardio moves, everyone will feel successful. 7-day free trial available.
- Equipment: None needed, or add 3 lb weights, ankle weights, resistance bands, TSS ball, yoga mat, and sliders
- Cost: $34.99 per month or $179.99 per year
14. Tone It Up
The ladies of Tone It Up have been helping women feel their best since 2009. They are all about engaging and effective workouts, with tons of content to choose from. If you’re looking for more in-depth workouts and plans, join the community by signing up for the app. With a subscription, you’ll get access to fitness programs, live classes, recipes, nutrition guidelines, and more. 7-day free trial available.
- Equipment: A yoga mat or various other equipment, like resistance bands, weights, and a jump rope, depending on the workout
- Cost: $14.99 per month, $37.99 per quarter, or $99.99 per year
15. Broads Fitness with Attitude
Founder and head coach Tara Laferrara comes with 12+ years of experience when it comes to strength training. Fun fact: she is also certified in Olympic weightlifting and specializes in areas that include mobility and durability, corrective exercise, and menopause. With the app, you get at-home and gym workouts, custom coaching options, substitutions for every exercise, and more. Workouts target strength and mobility to reduce the risk of injury and classes last anywhere between 45 to 75 minutes with a warmup and cooldown session. Chelsea D. shared, “Working with Tara has given me the confidence to unapologetically take up space in the gym. I am no longer afraid of the barbells and heavier weights and am comfortable pushing myself beyond what I previously thought I was capable of.” If you want to try it out, a seven-day free trial is available.
- Equipment: Dumbbells, bench, and bands; a full list of equipment is available on their site
- Cost: $49 per month with an option to apply for custom programming with a personal coach
Amanda Shapin Michelson, Former Editor
Amanda is a writer specializing in health, wellness, and motherhood. She recently wrote the book Pregnancy Hacks, sharing tips to comfortably get through the major ups and downs of pregnancy. She currently works for Babylist and lives in Maryland with her husband, kids Millie, Ezra, and Sloane, and pup Ollie.
Patty Schepel, Editorial Assistant
As the editorial assistant, Patty works with The Everymom’s team on pitches, creating original articles, updating existing content, photo sourcing, writing shopping product descriptions, inputting freelance articles, and more. With Patty’s passion for writing, experience as a mother of two, and expertise as a pediatric nurse, she brings a thoughtful and informative perspective to The Everymom.
